Is your shylock (who brags about being a big earner for the borgata) threatening
to do a piece of work because you haven't paid your vig, and you don't know what
the hell he's talking about? You've come to the right place. Learn what all that
mobspeak means!

This text is taken mostly from both The Mafia Handbook by Douglas Le Vien,
Jr. and Juliet Papa, Penguin Books 1993, and an article printed on 3-26-92 from the
Los Angeles Times by John J. Goldman. So I'm too lazy to make up my own stuff.
At least I admit it when I plagiarize. (Comments by original author, not R.A.)

administration: the upper-level power structure of an organized crime Family,
composed of the boss, underboss, and consigliere.

associate: an almost-there; someone who works with and for wiseguys, but
who hasn't been sworn in as a member of the Family.

babania: Heroin, as in dealing. Lucrative but risky for mob insiders because
if they're busted, long prison terms might compel them to cut a deal and squeal.
Usage: "These babania guys. They go, they get 848, 150 years (in prison). They're
in there."--Gotti.

babbo: A dope, idiot, useless underling.

beef: a complaint or disagreement within the organization, usually discussed
during a sit-down with higher-ups in the Family.

big earner: someone who makes a lot of money for the Family. A lot
of money.

books, the: euphemism for membership in the Family, since nothing is ever
written down. When there is an availability (when someone dies), the books are "opened."
When no one is being "made," the books are "closed."

borgata: a crime Family; brugad.

boss: the head of the crime Family; he is the only one who gives permission
to "whack" or "make" someone, and he makes money from all Family
operations; synonyms: don, chairman.

Boss of Bosses; Capo di tutti capi: While no one proclaims himself
the Boss of Bosses anymore, the press awards this title to whomever they feel is
the boss of the strongest of the five Families of New York, who is also said to preside
over Commission meetings.

broken: demoted in rank; "knocked down."

brugad: a crime family; borgata.

burn: to murder; synonyms: break an egg, clip, do a piece of work, hit,
ice, pop, put out a contract on, whack.

button: a "made" member of the Mafia; soldier, wiseguy, goodfella,
Man of Honor.

cafone: a phony or embarrassment to himself and others; "gavone"
(slang pronunciation)

capo: ranking member of a Family who heads a crew (or group) of soldiers;
a skipper, short for capodecina.

Capo di tutti capi: see Boss of Bosses

chased: to be banished from the Mafia and barred from associating or doing
business with any made members. The punishment is merciful in that the offender is
spared death.

cleaning: taking the necessary steps (driving around, stopping in various
locations) to avoid being followed.

clip: to murder; see burn

clock: to keep track of someone's movements and activities.

comare: a Mafia mistress; "goumada" (slang pronunciation).

come in: To go see the boss when summoned. Usage:

Gravano: "There were complaints he wasn't coming in."

Gleeson: "So what did you do?"

Gravano: "We killed him."

Commission, The: the Mafia "ruling body", typically a panel made
up of the bosses of the five New York Families, Gambino, Genovese, Lucchese, Colombo,
and Bonanno sometimes with representatives from other U.S. Families, such as Chicago.

compare: crony, close pal, buddy. Literally, "godfather" in Italian.

consigliere: the counselor in a crime Family; advises boss and handles
disputes within the ranks.

sit-down: a meeting with the Family administration to settle disputes.

skim: Tax-free gambling profits, as in the money taken that is not reported
to the IRS.

skipper: a capo.

stand-up guy: someone who refuses to rat out the Family no matter what
the pressure, offer, or threat.

swag: stolen goods.

vig: the interest payment on a loan from a loanshark (short for "vigorish").
Synonym: juice.

vouch for: to personally guarantee -- with one's life -- the reputation
of someone dealing with the Family.

walk talk, take a walk: to conduct a sensitive discussion while striding
up and down the block to avoid being overheard on those pesky eavesdropping devices.
Usage: "Sammy tells me you and him took a walk about a concrete plant in New
Jersey."--Gotti.

whack: to murder; see burn.

Young Turks: Younger, less traditional generation of Mafiosi. Less likely
to live by the old rules.